My Fair Lady review at The Bristol Hippodrome
Posted on: 2017-09-27
Our rating:
It is easy to forget that this is an amateur group; the odd missed cue or stumble over a line forgiven in this slick and professional production which belied their amateur roots.
Multi-awarding winning BLOC Productions have returned to the Bristol Hippodrome with another top notch show. The only amateur company performing regularly at the theatre, they have racked up an impressive number of acclaimed productions in recent years, including last year’s outstanding Fiddler on the Roof. They have now turned their attention to My Fair Lady, bringing Lerner and Loewe’s well-loved adaptation of George Bernard’s Shaw’s Pygmalion to dazzling life.
A worldwide hit since its debut in the 1950s with class-conflict comedy, a spot of gender politics and classic sing-along songs, including ‘Get Me to the Church on Time’, ‘On the Street Where You Live’, ‘I Could Have Danced All Night’ and ‘Wouldn’t It Be Loverly', it is easy to see why it has remained so popular.
This is the tale of Eliza Doolittle and her remarkable transformation from common Cockney guttersnipe into an elegant society lady under the tutelage of smug sophisticate and phonetician Henry Higgins. Taking Eliza –and the audience- on a journey from the gritty flower markets of London’s Covent Garden, through the glamourous world of racing at Royal Ascot to the glittering finery of the Embassy Ball, the witty story is a whirl of colour, excitement and fun.
In the role of Eliza, Charlotte Hunter is assured and confident. She plays the comic elements to full effect, yet never loses sight of the depth of emotion felt by a character who loses her sense of self the further she gets from her East End roots. Ballsy and brash, yet naïve and with a fine voice she makes the audience –as well as the Professor- fall in love with her.
Pete Cottell as Professor Higgins is brilliantly cast. He conveys the misogynistic leanings and insufferable arrogance of the character with finesse, and clearly revels in the characters quirks and urbane banter. Higgins goes on a journey alongside Eliza and is profoundly changed by his dealings with his experimental social butterfly; Cottell’s portrayal of the man who finally realises how outrageously he has behaved and that because of that he may have lost the woman he truly cares about is utterly devastating.
The bumbling Colonel Pickering, friend and confidante of Higgins is nicely played by Chris Parlow. Coming across as diffident and slightly in awe of his stubborn cerebral comrade, he is the perfect foil for Higgins.
There are some strong performances in the secondary roles too; Craig Rees is delightful as the love-struck Freddy, imbuing the character with innocence and warmth, and showing off a mighty fine, powerful voice. Simon Vardakis is superb as the morally corrupt but totally delightful Alfred P Doolittle. He excels during a high energy rendition of ‘Get Me to the Church on Time’, singing and dancing up a storm and charming the audience.
As with so many of BLOC’s productions this is very much an ensemble piece; each member of the sizeable company showing overwhelming energy and enthusiasm as they sang, danced and acted their way through the almost 2 and half hour show. It is easy to forget that this is an amateur group; the odd missed cue or stumble over a line forgiven in this slick and professional production which belied their amateur roots.
My Fair Lady runs until 30th September and is one show not to be missed. It is absolutely bloomin’ loverly!
Rating : 4/5
Ticket prices range from £19.75 to £33.25 including booking fees. Buy Bristol Hipporome tickets here.
Article by:
Sarah-Jane is an aficionado of film, theatre, culture and the arts. A voracious reader and avid crafter, she can be found volunteering her face painting talents at Bristol Zoo when she's not cementing her reputation as Coalpit Heath’s cake maker extraordinaire. Known to have an opinion on everything she’s never happier than when sharing these with the good folk of Bristol!
